LOUIS VAN GAAL remains confident David De Gea will snub Real Madrid’s growing interest – but has warned that Victor Valdes will not be happy just to play second fiddle at Manchester United.

Van Gaal says Victor Valdes will not be content to sit on the sidelines and will push De Gea

Reports in Spain suggest Real have stepped up their efforts to lure De Gea, left, to the Bernabeu by outlining terms of the contract they would be prepared to offer to his agent Jorge Mendes.

De Gea has only 18 months left on the five-year deal he signed when he joined Manchester United for £18million from Atletico Madrid in 2011.

United are expected to open talks with him this month over a new contract that would make him the best-paid goalkeeper in the world.

And sources close to the player reveal that, after early difficulties in England, he is happy and settled and has no desire to return to Spain.

Van Gaal said: “I think there is no problem for him to sign. It’s the same as other players. When you are a regular starter and the manager is happy with you, then you are likely to stay at your club.

“Is he the best in the world now? I can only say what I am watching and that is Manchester United. I cannot see the whole world. I can only say that I’m pleased with De Gea’s development.”

I think Valdes fits the profile I have for a goalkeeper more. Nobody is happy to be No2 and he has to have ambition to beat De Gea

Louis van Gaal

But he warned De Gea that veteran former Barcelona keeper Valdes, inset, who has signed an 18-month deal having recovered from a bad knee injury, will provide far stiffer competition than Denmark international Anders Lindegaard, who is likely to be sold this summer.

When asked about Lindegaard’s future, Van Gaal said: “I think Valdes fits the profile I have for a goalkeeper more. Nobody is happy to be No2 and he has to have ambition to beat De Gea.

“When we invited Victor to have his rehabilitation here, you do that not only for him but to give you the chance to see if his quality is still the same – and he has confirmed both.”

Ahead of United’s top-four showdown with Southampton tomorrow, Van Gaal says he has spoken to Luke Shaw about his injury record since joining from the Saints for £28m in the summer, but is satisfied the club has not bought an expensive ‘sick note’.

Van Gaal criticised Shaw’s level of fitness in United’s pre-season US tour and since then he has played only 10 matches after a hamstring tear and two ankle injuries.

When asked if he was concerned, Van Gaal said: “You are right because I have put the same question as you did. It’s a very interesting question but I don’t speak about my conversations with players. I have trust in him.”

United’s injury list is now down to just one, Ashley Young, after Daley Blind, Marouane Fellaini and Marcos Rojo all returned to training this week.